Promoting Leadership (Public Policy) Connecting Job Seekers with Disabilities and Federal Contractors through the Workforce Development System April 23, 2014 3:00PM EST 1 The LEAD Center is led by National Disability Institute and is funded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor, Grant No. #OD-23863-12-75-4-11
TODAY S SPEAKERS Elizabeth Jennings (Facilitator) Assistant Project Director LEAD Center Lisa Stern NLX Veterans Services Manager National Association of State Workforce Agencies 2
TODAY S SPEAKERS, CONTINUED Candee Chambers VP Compliance & Partnerships DirectEmployers Michael Morris Public Policy Team Lead LEAD Center 3
The National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD) is a collaborative of disability, workforce and economic empowerment organizations led by National Disability Institute with funding from the U.S. Department of Labor s Office of Disability Employment Policy, Grant No. #OD- 23863-12-75-4-11. This document does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor s Office of Disability Employment Policy, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. 4
WELCOME Christopher Button, Ph.D. Supervisory Policy Advisor, Workforce System Policy US Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy 5
LISTENING TO THE WEBINAR The audio for today s webinar is being broadcast through your computer. Please make sure your speakers are turned on or your headphones are plugged in. You can control the audio broadcast via the audio broadcast panel If you accidentally close the panel, you can re-open it from the top menu item: Communicate > Join Audio Broadcast 6
LISTENING TO THE WEBINAR, CONTINUED If you do not have sound capabilities on your computer or prefer to listen by phone, dial: 1-415-655-0001 1-855-749-4750 (Toll-Free Number) Meeting Code: 663 692 602 You do not need to enter an attendee ID. 7
CAPTIONING Real-time captioning is provided during this webinar. The captions can be found in Media Viewer panel, which appears in the lower-right corner of the webinar platform. If you want to make the Media Viewer panel larger, you can minimize other panels like Chat, Q&A, and/or Participants. 8
SUBMITTING QUESTIONS For Q&A: Please use the chat box or Q&A box to send any questions you have during the webinar to Nakia Matthews or Elizabeth Jennings and we will direct the questions accordingly during the Q&A portion. Please note: This webinar is being recorded and the materials will be placed on the LEAD Center website at If you are listening by phone and not logged in to the webinar, you may also ask questions by emailing questions to ejennings@ndiinc.org. http://www.leadcenter.org/webinars/section-503-connecting-job-seekersdisabilities-and-federal-contractors-through-workforce-development-system 9
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE If you experience any technical difficulties during the webinar, please use the chat box to send a message to the host Nakia Matthews, or you may also email nmatthews@ndi-inc.org. 10
LEAD CENTER MISSION To advance sustainable individual and systems level change that results in improved, competitive integrated employment and economic self-sufficiency outcomes for individuals across the spectrum of disability. 11
12 THANK YOU
AGENDA Provide an overview of the National Labor Exchange Summarize recent regulations and guidance issued by OFCCP Review new expectations for employer engagement Generate action items for State Workforce Agencies Hear what employers are looking for in their partnerships with State Workforce Agencies 13
WEBINAR OUTCOMES As a result of today s webinar, participants will have a better understanding of: Federal level partnerships advancing employment. Section 503 and VEVRAA rules and regulations. Proactive action items State Workforce Agencies and other entities can take. The employers perspective. Resources to support you along the way. 14
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE NATIONAL LABOR EXCHANGE (NLX) 15
NATIONAL LABOR EXCHANGE (NLX) A unique public/private partnership leveraging private (non-profit-owned) technology and existing state workforce development agency resources. 16
17 FACTORS LEADING TO DEVELOPMENT OF THE NLX
THE PARTNERSHIP AND SOME HISTORY NASWA Non-profit representing State Workforce Agencies DirectEmployers Non-profit HR consortium with >700 members Founded in the early years of the Great Depression Founded in 2001 by employers for employers Organization of State Agencies Network to improve labor market efficiency Information exchange, liaison and advocacy Reach culturally diverse national and int l workforce 18
Mission: To provide the nation s most efficient web-based labor exchange system at no additional cost to state workforce agencies and their customers. 19
HERE S HOW IT WORKS: Non-member Career Sites Indexed/Scraped EVERY 24 HOURS Member Career Sites Indexed/Scraped EVERY 24 HOURS REDIRECT Employer s Career Site /ATS State Workforce Agency Job Bank OFCCP VEVRAA COMPLIANCE REPORTING 20 Job listings emailed to Wagner-Peyser funded One-Stop Career Centers in all 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico & Guam For OFCCP VEVRAA Compliance Feed of job listings provided to/from participating state job banks NOT for OFCCP VEVRAA Compliance Feed of job listings provided to federal partners and other diversity/disability sites. NOT for OFCCP VEVRAA Compliance
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MORE THAN JOB OPENINGS In addition to job openings, the NLX offers state workforce agencies other valuable technology services such as indexing, analytics,.jobs microsites and job bank hosting all at no cost. For more information: Charlie Terrell, NLX Operations Manager cterrell@naswa.org, 202.434.8045 22
OFCCP S RECENT VEVRAA & SECTION 503 REGULATIONS APRIL, 2014 23
Effective 3/24/14 Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act (41 C.F.R. section 60-741) Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (41 C.F.R. section 60-300) -24-24
WHY THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT 175,000++ federal contractors Workforce system front and center Policy review, development, dissemination 25
WHY THE RULE CHANGES? Recruit Hire Improve Opportunities Individuals with Disabilities Protected Veterans 26
FINAL RULES HIGHLIGHTS VEVRAA Section 503 Hiring Benchmarks 7.2% or national average 7% Utilization Goal Job Listings Individualized Approach Definition of disability = ADAAA 27
BENCHMARK & UTILIZATION GOAL According to OFCCP: Designed as a tool to help federal contractors gauge progress Not a quota Not a hiring ceiling 28
FINAL RULES HIGHLIGHTS VEVRAA Section 503 1. Data Collection 2. Invitation to Self-Identify 3. E/O Language for Sub Contractors 4. On- and Off-Site Review 29
VEVRAA LANGUAGE CHANGES Other Protected Veterans removed Active Duty Wartime or Campaign Badge Veteran Protected Veteran Catch-All Term Disabled Veterans Recently Separated Veterans Active Duty Wartime or Campaign Badge Veterans Armed Forces Service Medal Veterans 30
NOTABLE 503 CHANGES No job listing or linkage agreement requirement Appropriate outreach and recruitment activities Individual with a disability Qualified individual with a disability Mandatory voluntary selfidentification language (may not alter content) Disability Qualified individual Encouraged to provide additional reasonable accommodation info with the form 31
32 INVITATION TO SELF-IDENTIFY
OFCCP RESOURCES DOL.GOV/OFCCP 33
NEW AND/OR RENEWED EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WORKFORCE SYSTEM 34
MANDATORY JOB LISTING REQUIREMENT VEVRAA Mandatory Job Listing Requirement Posting vs. Listing List in a format permitted by the appropriate employment service delivery system in order to provide priority referrals of protected veterans VEVRAA Federal Contractor Priority Referrals Contact Information for Hiring Locations *FOR STATE USE ONLY* 35
PRIORITY REFERRALS Priority Referrals Access to protected classes of candidate pools Impacts referral and traffic Partner development 36
OUTREACH AND POSITIVE RECRUITMENT Outreach and Positive Recruitment Flexible determined by the contractor Develop criteria Evaluate effectiveness 37
ACTION ITEMS FOR STATE WORKFORCE AGENCIES 38
POTENTIAL CHALLENGES Job listings and listing requirements OFCCP audits and documentation requests Third party providers Customer confusion Review, Refine or Create Policies and Procedures Training & Education 39
MANDATORY JOB LISTINGS Job Listings Hiring Locations Contact Info 1. How do you accept job listings for compliance? 2. Is this information posted on your website and easy to find for employers? 3. Does your virtual system have the data fields that contractors need to use? Employers are not required to register separately in every state in order to fulfill the job listing requirement. 40
OFCCP AUDITS/PRIORITY REFERRAL 1. Priority referral policies and procedures 2. Central POC for job listing audits 3. Job listing archives 4. Web-accessible information Priority Referral for Protected Veterans Federal Contractors 41
3 RD PARTY PROVIDERS & OFCCP AUDITS Review, revise or create state policy Filter policies down to local levels however, the employment service delivery system must be prepared to provide OFCCP with information pertinent to whether the contractor is in compliance with the mandatory job listing requirements of the equal opportunity clause. OFCCP compliance is employer s responsibility 42
PROACTIVE OUTREACH Outreach and positive recruitment Resource mapping/environmental scan Put yourself in an employer s shoes Partner development Expand jobseeker pool Coordinate business outreach Jobseeker education Invitation to self-identify Reasonable accommodation 43
44 COOL TOOLS FROM THE NLX
45 VETCENTRAL REPORTS
46 NO-COST INDEXING
47 WHAT ARE EMPLOYERS LOOKING FOR? THE DIRECTEMPLOYERS PERSPECTIVE
48 RESOURCES TO IMPLEMENT SECTION 503
BACKGROUND MATERIALS OFCCP Mission Statement OFCCP Section 503 Fact Sheet Section 503 PowerPoint (8-30-2013) Section 503 FAQs Section 503 Crosswalk: Existing vs. Final Rule OFCCP Employment Resource Referral Directory (ERRD) Disability and Veterans Community Resource Directory Employment and Disability 30-Second Training Series for Business OFCCP Contacts: Regional Office Directory Nationwide Office Directory 49
EMPLOYMENT AND DISABILITY 30-SECOND TRAINING SERIES FOR BUSINESS Series Categories: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Basics Compliance Benefits Employment Basics Recruitment and Hiring Strategies Section 503 Final Rule https://disability.workforce3one.org/page/tag/ 1001325234816231319 50
ACTION STEPS- HOW TO HELP IMPLEMENT SECTION 503 Establish a lead person at the state level and in each workforce investment area on Section 503. Establish communication with the regional office for OFCCP and identify the lead outreach individual (District Director) for OFCCP. 51
ACTION STEPS- HOW TO HELP IMPLEMENT SECTION 503 (CONT.) Plan together opportunities for collaboration that support the needs of federal contractors and jobseekers with disabilities. Possibilities include: Special events (i.e., job fairs), Education and training, Annotated resource map of community and state resources, and Development and/or use of a talent acquisition portal (i.e., Our Ability). 52
ACTION STEPS- HOW TO HELP IMPLEMENT SECTION 503 (CONT.) At a state and community level, build a Section 503 resource map for federal contractors that streamlines access to helpful public and private resources. The resource map would include, but not be limited to: Services offered by AJCs, Services offered by CILs, Prescreening of job applicants by AJCs, Job accommodation policies and requests, Employment Networks of Ticket to Work program, Business service representatives of VR and AJCs, Community employment service providers, and Community college, college and university disability student service agencies. 53
ACTION STEPS- HOW TO HELP IMPLEMENT SECTION 503 (CONT.) Stay informed on data collection requirements for Federal contractors regarding Section 503 by communicating regularly with OFCCP regional and state contacts. Create talent pool of individuals with disabilities who have self-identified and streamline process to make it easier to connect job applicants with federal contractor needs. Document success stories of AJCs prescreening applicants and supporting successful hiring. Disseminate widely with media how the workforce investment system is helping identify talented individuals for federal contractors. 54
ACTION STEPS- HOW TO HELP IMPLEMENT SECTION 503 (CONT.) Add your organization to the OFCCP Employment Resource Referral Directory by submitting your organization s name, address and brief description of its goals and activities to the OFCCP National Office. Email: OFCCP-Public@dol.gov Fax:(202) 693-1304 55
56 QUESTIONS?
LEAD CENTER FREE WEBINAR SERIES The LEAD Center will provide a new webinar on the last Wednesday of each month from 3:00p.m. EST - 4:30p.m. EST. Webinars will include three mini-series on: 1. Economic Advancement 2. Leadership 3. Employment Next month continues the leadership/public policy mini-series, focused on improving outcomes for individuals with disabilities. http://www.leadcenter.org/webinars 57
UPCOMING WEBINARS: LEADERSHIP (PUBLIC POLICY) SERIES May 28, 2014 from 3:00pm ET to 4:30pm ET Medicaid Managed Care and Its Implications on Employment Services As states continue to transition their Medicaid systems into managed care models, numerous opportunities and risks to Medicaid-financed employment services have emerged. This webinar will provide an overview of Medicaid Managed Care and its potential implications on employment services, both positive and negative, as well as discussing how stakeholders can influence the process. Target Audience: Workforce Development Professionals, Policy Makers, Individuals with Disabilities and related stakeholders. 58
THANK YOU Lisa Stern NLX Veterans Services Manager National Association of State Workforce Agencies lstern@naswa.org Elizabeth Jennings Assistant Project Director LEAD Center ejennings@ndi-inc.org 59